Charles Barkley is one of the biggest icons in the history of sports. He has an iconic line of Nike sneakers that is sometimes overshadowed by his larger than life personality. Learn about the Nike Air Force Max CB below.
Number 1
Charles Barkley’s first signature shoe for Nike came in 1994. For years prior, Charles was a Nike athlete who wore Nike Force models almost exclusively. The Nike Air Force Max CB was stylistically consistent with a lot of the Nike basketball models released in the 1990s. It had crisscross straps, which were similar to the Air Raid and Air Jordan 8. It had an air unit that was similar to the Air Max 93. The shoe was bulky and built strong, to fit the powerhouse game of Charles Barkley. The Nike Air Force Max CB has a synthetic nubuck and leather upper. The shoe has a midcut design.
NIKE, Inc.
In 1971, Nike would become the new name of the company. The winged Greek goddess of victory inspired the name. The iconic Nike Swoosh was also created in 1971. A graphic design student created the world famous logo. The logo was crafted to convey speed and the goddess Nike was its inspiration. The first shoes to feature the Nike Swoosh were the Nike Cleat and the Nike Waffle Racer at the U.S. Track and Field Olympic Trials in Eugene, Oregon.
The first Nike factory location opened in 1984 in Portland, Oregon. This led to the first Niketown opening in 1990, which was also located in Portland. Niketown was able to broaden the storytelling ability of the brand. Consumers could interact with the products in the store, learn more about them, and the athletes that endorsed them. More Niketown locations would quickly follow. Locations that would be placed all over the world. This would strengthen Nike’s status as a global retailer.
In 1996, Nike launched nike.com. The site focused on storytelling initially. It gave site visitors the chance to learn more about Nike’s large list of athletes. Storytelling has always been an important part of Nike’s brand. The storytelling has grown more mythical and epic as time passes on for Nike.
The Nike website got bigger and more unique in 1998 when NikeiD launched. The ability for the consumer to customize their own Nikes was trailblazing at the time. In 1999, the site fully transitioned from an editorial hub to an e-commerce platform.
TV
Charles Barkley was incredibly popular as an NBA player. You can make the argument that Barkley might even be more popular today, thanks to his work as a television analyst. His natural charisma and charm make him perfect for TV. Charles is known to have no filter, and that makes him fun to watch. He is candid in his criticism of players, coaches, and the sports world. Charles Barkley is a personality that has transcended basketball and sports.
- Adam C. Better
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